Jets' Rooting Guide for 2024 NFL Draft Implications of Week 16
The New York Jets only have draft position to worry about for the rest of the 2023 NFL regular season.
Robert Saleh's team was eliminated from playoff contention after its Week 15 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
The Jets currently sit seventh in the projected 2024 NFL draft order, which is right in the middle of the pack of 5-9 teams.
New York has the potential to remove itself from the five-win group against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Washington sits at 4-10 with the No. 4 overall pick.
A loss would actually benefit the Jets' draft position, but if they win, they need help from a few other teams in front of them in the draft order to jump into the top five by the end of Week 18.
Bears over Cardinals
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The Jets need a win from the Chicago Bears in the other Week 16 matchup that will have a significant impact on the draft order.
The Bears' own first-round pick sits at No. 5. They have the worst strength of schedule among the 5-9 teams, which puts them ahead of the Bears, Jets, New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans.
An Arizona victory does nothing for the Jets' draft stock because it has two fewer victories than the AFC East side.
The Cardinals finish the season against the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks, so it seems unlikely they will drop below the Jets in the draft order.
A Bears win could shake up the order from fifth to 10th if the other five-win teams lose in Week 16.
A Jets loss to the Commanders combined with a Bears win would move the Jets up in the draft order by at least one spot.
At minimum, a Bears win would keep them on the same number of wins as the Jets, if they beat the Commanders, and that would set up a competition for the No. 5 pick over the next two weeks.
Giants over Eagles
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The Jets need the Giants to rediscover the Tommy DeVito magic for their Christmas Day matchup with the Eagles.
The Giants are one spot ahead of the Jets in the current draft order, and if they keep losing, the Jets will not have the best first-round selection in their own media market.
A road win at Lincoln Financial Field seems very unlikely, especially because the Eagles need a win of their own to end a three-game losing streak and remain in contention for the NFC East title.
A Giants defeat will be one of the worst things for the Jets' potential to leap into the top five.
The Giants finish with two games against the Eagles and a Week 17 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. Both teams are fighting for spots in the NFC playoff picture and they could see the Giants as easy wins, which may mean they could overlook the five-win side.
That is what the Jets have to root for at this point in order for the Giants to stumble down the draft order.
Chargers over Bills
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The Jets need the Los Angeles Chargers to produce the complete opposite performance from their Week 15 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Maybe the firing of head coach Brandon Staley frees up the Chargers and makes them more competitive against the Buffalo Bills? That's at least what the Jets need to hope for.
The Chargers face a Bills team that just won two emotional home games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys.
The Bills need to keep winning to get into an AFC wild-card spot, but they could suffer a let down against a much weaker opponent.
A Chargers upset is what the Jets have to root for in each of the final three weeks. Los Angeles visits the Denver Broncos and hosts the Chiefs.
The Jets are one spot ahead of the Chargers in the current draft order, but the prospects for the AFC West side look bleaker than any other five-win team. A bounce-back win would be massive to the Jets' hopes of keeping the Chargers below them.
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